Fleeting device



March 19,1946. A. MACKMANN I y 2,396,958

FLEETING DEVICE Filed June 17, 1943 4 Sheets-Shae: 1

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March 19,1 1946. c N I 2,396,958

FLEETING DEVICE Filed June 17, 1943' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 VA. MACKMANB'IL Y 2,396,958

Fil ed June 17, 1945 4 sheets-sh n Patented Mar. 19, 1946 FLEETING DEVICE Arthur Mackmann, Chicago, 11]., assignor to Foote Bros. Gear and Machine Corporation Application June 17, 1943, Serial No. 491,111

4 Claims.

This invention relates to fleeting device and more particularly to apparatus for guiding a cable onto a reel and for permitting free withdrawal of cable from the reel.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a fleeting device in which the guide roller or sheave over which the cable passe may be drivably connected to a feed screw for feeding the cable evenly onto the reel or may be disconnected from the screw for fre motion when cable is being withdrawn from the reel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fleeting device in which a guide roller or sheave receives and guides the cable and may be connected to or disconnected from a carriage driven by a screw mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fleeting device in which the screw is drivably connected to the reel and may be disconnected. therefrom to reduce the drag on the reel during unwinding.

Still another object of the invention i to provide a fleeting device in which the guide roller is moved by a separate carriage operated by a screw driven from the reel and in which the drive roller may be disconnected from the carriage and the screw may be disconnected from the reel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fleeting device in which the guide roller is moved by a carriage to which it may be connected and in which manually controlled means are provided for driving the screw to move the carriage into register with the guide roller.

A still further obiect of the invention is to provide a fleeting device in which the cable is held in a grooved guide roller by a guide rod lying adjacent the roller. According to one feature of the invention, the rod may be swung away from the roller to permit insertion and removal of the cable.

The above and other object and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figur 1 is a front elevation of a reel embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a partial side elevation of the reel of Figure 1 on the line 2- 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view with parts in section and parts in elevation on the line 3-3 of Figure 4 showing a transmission mechanism;

Figure 4 is a section of the screw drive mechanism on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a partial section on the line 5-5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged partial view similar to Figure 2.

The reel as more particularly shown in Figures 1 and 2 may be of the type more fully described and claimed in the copending application of Mackmann and Ardussi, Serial No. 481,736, filed April 3, 1943, and as shown comprises a base it which supports a pair of upright H between which there is rotatably mounted a reel or drum l2 carrying a cable IS. The reel may be controlled by brake mechanism including a hydraulic transmission l4 and a differential gear unit l5 connected to the transmission to produce an opposite rotation of the parts therein as more fully described and claimed in the application referred to above. The reel may be accelerated in a direction to unwind cable therefrom by a motor I6 connected to the reel through a disengageable clutch. For winding cable onto the reel a motor not shown may engage a gear I] formed on one of the flanges of the reel.

Cable from the reel passes out the lower side thereof and is connected to a hook indicated at [8 in Figure 2 which is carried by a support l5 mounted on a supporting frame of the type disclosed and claimed in the copending application of Rexford 0. Anderson, Serial No. 481,712, filed April 3, 1943, now Patent No. 2,364,042, dated December 5, 1944. The supporting frame as shown includes a triangularly shaped frame 2| connected at one end to the base and at the opposite end to links 22 to form a rigid supporting struc-- ture projecting below the base in.

In order to guide the cable as it is withdrawn from the reel and is rewound thereon, the frame 2| supports a shaft 23 which is preferably ground and hardened on its exterior surface. A guide roller or sheave 24 is mounted on the shaft 23 for free rotation and longitudinal movement thereon. Preferably the guide roller is hardened on all of its exterior surfaces and is shown. as connected to the shaft by a bearing assembly 25 including a, series of bearing balls supported in an annular cage between the shaft and the hub of the sheave although it will be understood. that other types of bearing could be used if desired. The frame 2 l. carries adjacent and parallel to the shaft 23 a rotatable drive screw 26 which is driven through a transmission indicated gen erally at 21 by means of a sprocket chain 28 connecting a sprocket 29 on the transmission to a sprocket on'the end of the reel shaft.

The transmission as best seen in Figures 3 and 4 comprises a driving shaft 3! on which the sprocket 29 is mounted and it rigidly carries a pair of gears 32 and 33. The gear 32 meshes with an idler 34 which in turn meshes with a gear 35 rotatable on the screw shaft and having a series of positive clutch teeth 35. The gear 33 meshes directly with a gear 31 rotatable on the screw shaft and which carries a series of clutch teeth 38. A clutch collar 39 is splined to the screw shaft and has clutch teeth on its opposite ends to mesh respectively with the clutch teeth 36 and 38.

The collar 39 is controlled by a yoke 4| pivoted in the transmission case at 42 and having an operating handle 43 projecting above the case. Preferably the handle 43 or an extension thereof projects above the base l where it can be easil controlled by an operator. The clutch is automatically shifted during normal winding operation by a control rod 44 slidably mounted in the frame 2! adjacent and parallel to the screw 26 and which has adjustable abutments 45 engaging the opposite sides of the handle 43. Stop collars 46 are adjustably mounted on the rod 44 and are adapted to be engaged by a carriage on the screw 26 to shift the rod thereby to reverse the direction of rotation of the screw as the carriage approaches the opposite ends thereof.

The carriage as best seen in Figures 4 and 6 comprises a sleeve portion 41 threaded on the screw 26 and having a projecting yoke 48 adapted to span the sheave 24 so that the sheave will be moved by the carriage. A second projecting portion 49 on the sleeve 4'! terminates adjacent one end in an open notch 5! adapted to fit over the rod 44, a spring detent 52 being provided if desired, to engage the rod 44 and hold the carriage in the position shown in Figure 6. As the carriage travels back and forth due to rotation of the screw,- the sides thereof adjacent the notch 5| will engage the stops 45 to shift the rod 44 thereby to control the clutch 39.

In order to prevent high pressure against the rod 44 by the carriage, the carriage preferablycarries a roller 53 which rides against a guide bar 54 on the frame 2| to limit tiltingmovement of thecarriage. With the carriage in the position shown in Figure 6, the yoke 48 engages the sheave and moves it back and forth with the carriage. At the same time, the carriage operates the control rod 44 automatically to reverse the direction of the screw 26 to cause a reciprocating motion of the carriage and sheave.

According to one feature of the present invention the carriage and sheave may be disconnected so that the sheave may run freely during unwinding of cable from the reel. For this purpose the carriage is adapted to be tilted clockwise as seen in Figure 6 through an arm 55 connected thereto and which may have an extension projecting through the base for convenient access by an operator. When the arm 55 is pushed away from the reel, the carriage will be rocked clockwise to disconnect the. yoke 48 from the sheave may be moved manually to bring the carriage into register with the sheave for reconnecting them after they have been disconnected. This manual control is provided as shown by a shaft 58 slidably and rotatably supported in the transmission housing and carrying a crank 59 at its upper end. The shaft is urged upwardly by a coil spring 5! engaging a bearing collar 62 on the shaft at one end and a bearing sleeve 53 mounted in the transmission housing at its opposite end. The lower end of the shaft carries a bevel pinion 54 adapted to mesh with a similar pinion 55 on the end of the screw shaft when the shaft 58 is pressed down. In its normal position the shaft 58 is urged upwardly by the spring 6| to disconnect the pinions 54 and 65 as shown in Figure 4.

For manually turning the screw to move the carriage into register with the sheave, the shaft 58 is pressed downwardly to bring the pinion 64 into mesh with the pinion 65 and may then be turned in either direction to move the carriage along the screw. When the carriage registers with the sheave it may be rocked to a position to engage the sheave through the control arm 55, the shaft .53 being released at this time to permit the pinions 64 and 65 to move out of engagement. It will be understood that during the manual turning of the screw the clutch 39 is in disengaged position and when the carriage has again been brought into engagement with the screw, the clutch 39 may be shifted into engagement with either of the gears 35 or 31 to move the screw and the sheave in the desired direction.

In order to prevent the cable from jumping out of the sheave during operations, a guide rod is provided lying adjacent the periphery of the sheave and close enough to the sheave so that the cable cannot pass out therebetween. As shown, the guide rod 55 is pivoted adjacent one end at 5'1 and carries at its opposite end a latch mechanism comprising a slidable rod 68 adapted tov engage a fixed latch part 89 on the frame 26 to. hold the rod rigidly in place. As seen in Figure 6, when the rod is in its latched position it lies closely adjacent but out of contact with the periphery of the sheave so that the cable 13 cannot accidentally. jump out of the sheave.

In order to permit threading of the cable into the sheave and. to provide space for passing the hook l8 through the supporting frame the rod 66 is adapted to be swung out of position about the pivot 67. For this purpose a cable H passes through the base It over a guide roller 12 carried by the rod 56 and is connected by means of a pin 13 to the latch plunger 68. The latch plunger is normally urged toward engaged position by a spring 14 but when the cable H is pulled the latch plunger will be withdrawn against the spring to release the end of the rod 65. Continued pull on the cable H will swing the rod up toward the base l0 so that the cable can be threaded over the sheave and the hook and its supporting parts can be passed through the frame. After the cable is properly threaded. the rod 55 may be pushed down to its latched position at which time the latch will automatically engage to hold it rigidly in place.

In operation, when cable is being Wound on the reel the carriage engages the sheave and moves it back and forth on the shaft 23 so that the cable will be laid smoothly and evenly on the reel. When cable is to be withdrawn, the carriage may be rocked to disengage the sheave while the clutch 39 is shifted to its neutral position. At this time, the sheave may turn and slide freely on the shaft 23 so that cable may be drawn from the reel with a minimum of friction. In the event of any whipping or irregular action of the cable it will be retained on the sheave by the guide rod 66 to insure proper operation of the mechanism at all times.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail herein, it will be understood that this is for the purpose of illustration only and is not to be taken as a definition of the scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a reel having a cable wound thereon, a fleeting device comprising a screw, means to drive the screw at a speed proportional to the speed of the reel, a guide roller over which the cable passes mounted separately from the screw for movement parallel to the screw, a carriage on the screw to be moved thereby axially of the screw, the carriage being tiltable on the screw, means on the carriage to engage and move the roller when the carriage is tilted to one position and to disengage the roller when the carriage is tilted to another position, a guide bar engageable with the carriage to limit its tilt toward said one position, a guide roller on the carriage engageable with the guide bar, and control means to tilt the carriage between said two positions.

2. In combination with a base having a reel mounted thereon with cable wound on the reel, a fleeting device comprising a frame below the base, a guide roller carried by the frame for free rotation and axial movement parallel to the reel axis and over which the cable passes, a screw carried by the frame parallel to the reel axis, a

carriage on the screw, means on the carriage for detachably connecting it to the roller, transmission means connecting the screw to the reel to be driven thereby, a control member for the means on the carriage projecting through the base, a control member for the transmission projecting above the base, and a manual control member projecting above the base for turning the screw independently of the reel, all of said control members being readily accessible to an operator above the base.

3. In combination with a reel having a cable wound thereon, a fleeting device comprising a grooved guide roller over which the cable passes, means mounting the roller for movement along a line parallel to the reel axis, a guide rod lying adjacent to the periphery of the roller parallel to the line of movement thereof to prevent the cable from jumping out of the groove in the roller, pivotal mounting for one end of the guide rod whereby it can be swung away from the roller, and a latch for releasably holding the opposite end of the guiderod.

4. In combination with a reel having a cable wound thereon, a fleeting device comprising a grooved guide roller over which the cable passes, means mounting the roller for movement along a line parallel to the reel axis, a guide rod lying adjacent to the periphery of the roller parallel to the line of movement thereof to prevent the i cable from jumping out of the roove in the roller, pivotal mounting for one end of the guide rod whereby it can be swung away from the roller, a latch for releasably holding the opposite end of the guide rod, and an elongated control member connected to the latch and operable from a remote point to release the latch and swing the guide rod away from the roller.

ARTHUR MACKMANN. 

